Memories In The Deep Night
by TheOneWithTheCurlyBrownHair
Summary: This really has nothing to do with A Cinderella Story but its about Nick and Jessica finding their way back into love.
1. Chapter 1

She sobbed all over again into her pillow just like every night just thinking of the memories… all the special times together.

It was just too painful.

And to think, he had a girlfriend!

She cried herself to sleep like so many nights before. She really thought she could convince herself she was over him: considering 2 years have passed, but she never forgot her one special love.

It ended too fast, a whirlwind of confusion and assumption. The media swept her off her feet and filled her head with nonsense and caused her to turn against her own husband. She thought they could last forever, but it was too good to be true. The worst part, her best friend, Vanessa advised her to separate from him and not a minute after, became his new fling. Nick stated that he was the happiest, luckiest man alive, and with that, she was truly deeply hurt.

Now, they were dating happily for 18 months, while she tried to date other guys, but it wasn't the same. He was her first love, her first kiss, her first time. He loved her with all his heart as she had loved him, no matter what. Their love was nurtured and flourished, but came crashing and burning unexpectedly and Jess found herself right back where she started: alone, confused and lost.

She looked at herself in the mirror: gosh had she changed since her Newlywed days. She no longer was bubbly, beautiful and peppy. But her eyes were blotchy and red, her hair was a mess, all tangled and curly (Ken will have a fit), mascara running down her face, dark circles forming around her eyes (from crying and sleepless nights. He haunted her dreams, and it felt so real: his smell, his touch ….) Her face was pale and her eyes were gray, limp and lifeless. She could feel the tingly sensation up her nose and quivered her lip, which triggered the blurry vision, signifying that she was about to start crying again. Nick would have thought she was beautiful, no matter what she looked like. He loved her for who she was and constantly reminded her of that and that her beauty radiated even when she was wearing baggy sweatpants and had her hair up in a messy ponytail without makeup on. But now she was alone and on her own. There was no Nick to say that to her in her life now. She gulped and controlled her sobbing. She didn't understand the beauty of moving on, she didn't want to. It was almost as if she liked the pain. She sagged her shoulders and rocked her head in her hands. She didn't understand how Nick could love another woman. How could Nick appear so happy in love, after he said that, no he vowed, that he would love her and only her until death did them part. A solitary tear rolled down her cheek as she remembered that day: the best day of her life. No matter how old she grew, or where life took her, she would always remember her wedding day. The beautiful gown, the beautiful church, with Nick smiling down at her from the church alter, giving her courage and all her prior nervousness flew away and nothing else mattered as she melted in his eyes. _" I love you Jessica,"_ he whispered. She covered her mouth with her hands and bit them hard to stop the free flow of tears. "Forever". She whispered into the dark cold night.


	2. Chapter 2

She woke up reluctantly, feeling as depressed as ever. Climbing out of her bed, and trudging into the bathroom, you could mistake her for a zombie, in the state she was in. Another day of pretending, another day without Nick.

She turned on the hot shower and let loose of her garments as they dropped onto the floor and she stepped into the shower. She let the hot tears streaming down her face mix in with the water from the shower. Her life was in tatters. As she lathered, up her hair, the streaming soapy shampoo found its way down her face and into her eyes, causing it to sting like heck. She didn't feel the pain, it was incomparable to the pain, the emptiness she had in her heart….She slumped to her closet, trying to find something in her closet to wear….

"_Jess! Geez! How many clothes do you have! Look! I have never seen you wear that!"_

"_Ew, you're right! That's disgusting!"_

"_Then why did you buy it?"_

"_Because I liked it at the time…and I didn't buy anything in that store yet!"_

_**shakes his head **_

"_Jess, I bet you can wear all these clothes once and never have to repeat your outfit once in your lifetime!"_

"_Nick! Baby! That's the whole point!"_

_**she flashes a smile that makes him weak in the knees**_

Jessica smiles at that memory. She digs out a pair of sweats and a simple pink tank top with her cute flip flops and throws her hair up in a messy bun, grabs a pair of designer sunglasses and with her trusty Louie, she's out the door. Immidietly Jess is swarmed by papparatzi hungry for news. She pulls off a fake smile and makes her way through the streets. Passing by Ernie's she stops for the daily newspaper when something catches her eye. She promised herself to never look at gossip magazines ever again, after the lies and scandals they create which ruined her life. She can't help but steal a glance at the colorful cover. A familiar face, and a betraying feind: kissing with lust and passion as if the world depended upon it. Her shoulders shrugged, her smile dropped and her heart stopped when she saw written in big yellow font: 'ENGAGED!' She looked sown at the magazine again and saw a few wet drops laying on there. She touched her eyes: she was crying- yet again. She looked up at Ernie, who gave her a sympathetic smile. Before she knew it, random flashes from cameras and paparatzi's swarm in on her,

"Jessica, Jessica!!!"

She quickly threw on her shades and ran all the way out of the chaos, wandering aimlessley. After a while, she threw off her sunglasses, let down her hair and let it all pour out, running around, her tears blurring her vision as she bumped into someone.

"Excuse me."

She bluntly stated in a crackled hoarse voice, sore from her crying.

"Jessica?"

There was only one person who said her name like that, she could distinguish it from any other voice: Nick.Her heart stopped and her hands became all sweaty. She looked up, but didn't say a word, her eyes said it all. Just then, out of the Ritz Carlton, came a glowing Vanessa, with papparatzi surrounding her, while she showed off her huge rock. Smiling gleefully she explained:

"Oh! It was amazing! We were on a boat in Hawaii he proposed!" Jessica's jaw tightened and tears stinged her eyes as her eyebrows knitted and she glared at Vanessa, her _former_ best friend, and then at Nick, her _former_ husband and apparently, _former_ soul mate. Her expression was one of betrayal, confusion, longing and anger. Nick and only Nick could interprete that. He saw her blotchy red eyes, her dark circles and the paleness in her tear stricken face. He longed to hug her, to embrace her, to touch her again. He couldn't stand to see her in that state. His heart went out to her once again. But once again, her was reminded of her coldness and her bitterness during their last month of marriage. Tears dripped down her face again and they kept staring at each other with a sense of regret. That was soon dissipated when Jessica realized where she was. She quickly placed her sunglasses on her eyes once again, covering the misery and despair visible in her face. She touched him ever so lightly, Nick questioned weather she touched him at all. She spat out the words:

"Congratulations."

When Nick opened his palm, he saw in his hand a ring. A tear-shaped diamond ring with two other diamons encircling it. The one which he so very well remembered. It was Jessica's wedding ring, which she still had, and always carried around with her to remember. It was a sign of hope and eternal devotion. He remembered her telling him that and that it would always keep them together in spirit and in mind whenever they were apart. It meant the world to her and he knew that. He felt a tear roll down his cheek. It was over, it was a sign that she lost hope and she was done trying.

"Serves her well," he stated bitterly. The statement was soon followed by a flood of tears. Nick clamped his fist and stuck it in his pocket, waiting for his fiancé to come down the stairs.

Memories flooded in her brain as she continued walking past…

_**Nick chartered a boat in Hawaii on Valentines Day…**_

"_Jessica, I want to spend my whole life with you. I want to wake up everyday and see you next to me. You are the one for me. No one in this world can compare to you and the love I have for you. You are such a beautiful person with such a rich, deep character. You take my breath away everyday when I look at you I thank God that I have an angel by my side. My love for you is as boundless as this ocean…__**takes a deep breath**__ Jessica Ann Simpson, will you marry me?"_

_Tearing up, "Yes! Yes! Yes! I love you Nick!" __**they kiss and she giggles as he slips on the ring and looks deep into her eyes. **_

"_I will always love you, no matter how far apart or how mad I may be, Jessica, I will never stop loving you" tears spill and she whispers. "Me too. You are my life Nick, my true love." They kiss. _

"_Wow! Haha! I'm engaged! I'M ENGAGED! HEY WORLD! I'M ENGAGED__**!" she laughs and pulls him into a kiss pouring all her feelings and emotions into the kiss and the scene fades out…**_

Jessica crossed her arms over her chest and rubbed her hands against her arms as the bitter wind picked up and the clouds darkened. "What happened to us?" she silently questioned herself as a storm brewed up above her….


	3. Chapter 3

He looked through endless cases of the most beautiful and bank breaking rings in the store

_He looked through endless cases of the most beautiful and bank breaking rings in the store. He sighed, nothing stood out. Nothing seemed to scream out to him. He thanked the store owner and left the store, in hopes for better luck. Passing by, store after store, all the rings seemed to look the same. He had looked for days now, and suddenly it caught his eye. The most beautiful ring that suited her personality_

"_Wow, I really hope she's the right one." Said the storeowner as he gently placed the ring in a box and wrapped it up in a bag. _

"_Yes, yes she really is." _

"_Congratulations sir" the storeowner handed him the bag._

_He made his way gleefully out of the store and onto his Grandma's house to share the news._

"_Nicolas, I want you to give this to Jessica." Rose Lachey loved Jessica and thought she was the perfect completion for her grandson and she couldn't be any happier. She led him to her old jewelry box, and opened a certain box._

"_This was passed down for generation to generation our family, and I want to continue the tradition." She handed him a single band ring with diamonds encrusted all around. _

_It was the perfect completion to what he had just purchased. She would love it. Nick thanked his grandmother and burst out the door, anticipating the day that he would ask her…_

Nick woke up with a jerk. Why was he having this dream of Jessica while he should be dreaming of his beautiful and amazing (A/N it pain me to say those words haha!) Vanessa. Shaking his head, he turned to his side and kissed Vanessa's forehead and stroked her cheek gently and affectionately.

"Get the f away Nick, I'm trying to sleep you idiot." she grumbled and turned to her side.

Not the reaction he was expecting. Nick sighed and made his way to the bathroom to start his day. Today, he would make his way over his grandmother's house and tell her the news.

"Nicolas," she stated bluntly. Nick and his grandmother weren't on very good terms since the divorce.

"Hi grandma! How are you doing?" He tried to cheer up the situation.

"What brings you here"

"I need the family engagement ring"

Grandma Lachey sighed, she didn't like where this was going.

"I'm getting married!"

"Oh Nicolas! Please don't break my poor old heart anymore."

"What? Why can't you be happy for me?"

"You are making a horrible decision. This is not where your heart lies. I know it. You're just…"

"No you don't know!" he interrupted, infuriated "You don't know the pain and suffering I went through after _her_. You don't know how I spent nights and days crying my eyes out for _her_ until there was no more tears left, droning over _her_. When finally, I met someone, the TRUE love of my life who lifted me up when I was down and helped me get over _her_ and realize that we were never meant to be"

"If you are so over _her_, why can't you bring yourself to say her name?"

She had a point. Grandma Lachey could always see the truth in people.

"Please just give me the ring." Nick quietly stated, feeling defeated already.

"See! You are not over her. You're just trying to distract yourself with some one else so you don't have to think about Jessica. I may be old, but I'm not that naive. I do know that you're wasting your life trying to convince yourself that that Minillo girl is the one when you let slip away the best thing that ever happened to you. When you're married, you don't let one fight get between you, you try and make it through the rough patches. You don't go on divorcing for a stupid thing and then saying that the love of your life was your ex wife's best friend! That is sick and twisted Nicolas. Sick and Twisted."

"You don't know what true love means!"

"You wouldn't know true love if it just walked out of your life!"

"Give me the dam ring!

"Fine. Take the ring. Just don't expect me to be there at your wedding. No I won't be there when your marriage fails and you have no one else in the world." A shellshocked Grandma Lachey stated furiously as her grandson ripped the ring out of her grasp and stormed out of the small house, slamming the door behind him, shaking all the pictures of his wedding with Jessica hanging on the wall. Grandma Lachey sighed and burried her head in her hands and began to weep.

"Ashlee! Ash! Open up please! "Jessica helplessly pounded on her sister's door.

"Jess? What are you- aww Jess, come here" her sister Ashlee opened the door and looked surprised when she saw the state her sister was in, but immediately knew what was wrong and pulled her into a loving hug.

"Im a mess. I can't do anything. I don't know anything. I just-"

"I know I know," She said consoling her big sister. "Come inside. We'll talk. So whats up?"

"I hate my life. I know that I should be grateful, but I just- I have no one"

"What are you talking about you have me, Pete,mom dad, Ni- oh wait sorry". She stopped herself, knowing how touchy the subject of her ex brother in law was to her big sister.

"Its just that, I just can't let go! I love him so much and I thought I was over him-"

"but sometimes the things you love the most are the hardest to let go" Ashlee said, completing her sister's thoughts, Sometimes it was scary how much they knew eachother inside out.

"Yes." She said sniffling into her sister's shirt

"Listen Jess, you stay the night, we'll have a GNO!"

"Nah, its ok. I think I'll just sleep"

It was easier said than done. Ashlee tossed and turned in her sheets, hearing the restless moaning coming from the guest room where her sister lied. Her heart ached 2 times more than her sister. It ached to see her like this, when she knew she could be something more. It ached her to know that she couldn't fix it either. She climbed out of her bed and walked to Jessica's room, pulled back the sheets, crawled in, and held her close, consoling her and rocking her back and forth until she fell asleep. 


	4. Chapter 4

"So, do you like it?" Nick asked his fiancé expectantly. She took one glance at it, before wrinkling up her nose in disgust, rolled her eyes and carelessly threw the family ring back to him.

"It's nice, but…"

"But what?"

"But it has to be bigger, for people to notice. I mean come _on_ Nick? What were you_ thinking? _I can't even see it and I'm like wearing it"

Hurt by her cruel words, he brushed them away as he re-opened the cased which he luckily caught which revealed the stunning family diamond that every Lachey wore for generations. But with Vanessa, this generation would be different.

"I'm the happiest that I've ever been in ages. I feel so blessed!" Jessica said in a faux jubilant and joyful manner, wearing all black, which gave away her true emotions: she was still in mourning.

" So I'm sure you've heard of Nick and Vanessa's engagement, how do you feel about that?"

_How do I feel about that? How do you think I feel? If my ex-husband just got engaged to my best friend how do you think I should feel? Happy! Oooh ! I'm ecstatic!_

" I…I….I um well I wish him the best of luck and I hope this one works out for him."

"That's it? No bashing? No yelling and screaming? Come on! Tell us how you really feel."

"I feel…well, its none of my business now. They're both not involved in any part of my life so if he wants to go on and marry by best friend, so be it! I hope he's found the right one this time..._ 'jess, this marriage was the biggest regret of my life.' Rang a voice in her head. "_ I hope _this_ marriage wont be a _mistake_ that he'll live to_ regret. _I just…."

By now tears were rapidly spilling down her face and she couldn't stop them, once she remembered Nick's penetrating words, she snapped.

"I hope he gets what he deserves. I'm sorry. I'm sorry about everything. I'm sorry I lied this whole interview. My life is a mess, I can't fix it and I can't even think straight. I loved him like I loved nobody else: it's been three years and I still can't get over it. I can't adapt to life with out him. I'm nothing… I…I…"

The interviewee's jaw dropped. Jessica's manager, who happened to be her father, stormed on set from where he was watching the interview a few feet away.

"Excuse us." He stated curtly while he grabbed his broken daughter by the arm and led her away.

"Are you crazy? What were you thinking breaking down on camera. Do you realize how important this interview was for your career? I'm working hard here Jess, working hard to salvage what's left of this. You worked too hard and too long to be where you are now and you can't throw this away just for some guy. This is your future we're talking about. We're ruined now! Oh my God. How could you do this? You knew how important this interview was for you. And yet you make this whole scene that will make headlines…wait a minute…headlines…that's it! Jessica Simpson you're a genius! You pulled this stunt, because you knew it would get you headlines, and more interviews and more money and more fame and more contracts..."

"DAD! STOP!!! It's all about money for you isn't it. My feelings don't concern you at all? I just released all of these emotions that I've kept bottled up inside on live television and you're just concerned about the publicity that it will get me? I can't believe you." She stated as she forced herself out of his grasp.

"Jess wait. Be reasonable. Of course I care about you sweetheart, but this is important. Think of what it could do for your future"

"See. This is what happens every time. When I consulted you about my problems with Nick, you advised me to get a divorce, knowing that it would bring in money and interviews and ratings…"

"Woah there I think you're blowing this way out of proportion here."

"No! No I'm not! Money is all you've cared about all along! You know what. You're fired."

"You can't do that? I' m your father."

"Yes, you're still my father, but not my manager. I'll see you at home dad." And with that she stormed out of the studio on the verge of tears.


End file.
